@LUK3SYboy It's not really. It's a similar style but nakiris are Japanese and differ in their construction and blade shape. The difference is fairly subtle but it's still there. The knife shown is Thai, as I think I've mentioned before. And I hate Fosters, it's not a very popular beer in NSW :0)
@LUK3SYboy Fosters is an Aussie beer, it was first brewed here but not many of us drink it. It's mainly an export brew now. Never heard of the ale you mention. Probably can't get it here
@thecoolcook haha im from wa, and i think little creatures is from QLD... and im assuming fosters is a bit like emu bitter. but yeah ur right about the knife and nice vid bro
I have a cleaver and is really heavy... Personally I stick for most of the kitchens my 8" victorinox or my Henckel, they are very light weight and I mostly do everything with them
Thanks for a simple insight about this tool( I'm not expert or game enough to call it anything else what with all the replies your video generated) I wiil go to China town and see if I can locate something similar and give it a try. all the best
First off this is not an "asian" knife. That is a vegtable style cleaver developed in China. It is the equvilent of your european style French/chef knife. If your looking for the best possible knife style for chopping an onion, head of lettuce, or any other firm vegtables, Santoku knifes are the best choice and are a Japanese infused chef knife using both propperties as from this knife and a french knife. by far, the best and most used tool out of the 3.
@pmh777 I disagree with most of this. These are called knives and the style is to be found all over Asia except in China, where a thinner, more rectangular blade is used. The knife in question comes from Thailand.Santoku knives are certainly good, but they are expensive and no better at the job than the one shown. I own both as well as a whole range of European blades. For ease of use, quality and economy, these Kiwi knives are hard to beat. See what other chefs have said below
I use a Ken Onion Santoku at home its amazing for everything, but at work i use this a nakiri and a slightly smaller version of the knife shown and i swear by them, kiwi and kom kom make amazing knives for under ten dollars. i'm a knife geek as is my coworker, and we always argue over whos knives are better, and the fact is that these cheap knives hands down cut better and longer than any of his 150 - 350 dollar knives. so go to your local asian market and drop ten dollars and spread the news
just saying - this could be done with a nakiri, gyuto or a chef's knife just as well. you just need the technique... plus - the chef\gyuto\nakiri can do things the cleaver won't, but the cleaver is more limited. in general, I prefer a nakiri for vegi prep.
@monss84 The point is these knives are very cheap, long-lasting, sharp, hold an edge and are perfect for the novice cook because they are easy to use. You can use one for most things, once you get used to it. About the only other thing you need is a paring knife.
If i'm dicing something like a chilli, i prefer a long knife with a point. i can push the point end down on the chopping board with one hand, and use a lever motion to rapidly and accurately chop the chilli. i would like an asian style knife like this for cutting meat though, so thanks for the advice on where to buy and save money.
I have a CCK small slicer and I love love love love it. Its fabulous for precision cuts; I never use my german profiled knife anymore. Unfortunately I bought it online and not in chinatown so it was $30 as opposed to $10. But that is still amazing.
same goes for a lot of the stuff in Asian markets.
I finally said no more to my old wok which was a pretty expensive non stick wok that had just lost it's coating and burnt at the bottom and took ages to cook on which is the opposite of what a wok should be.
£6.99 for an amazing wok that i seasoned and cooked eggs in without it sticking......cooking bliss :D
@kingdarko Plus you can use metal implements in it without worry. I agree. In any case, there is a huge question mark over the safety of PFCs, which are used in the manufacture of non-stick surfaces. Did you know the fumes given off them kill birds? And that the manufacturers know this? Give me plain old metal any day!
@thecoolcook Really ? wow i did not know that but i am not using any non stick pans anymore because they are useless after a year. They are the bees knees for about 2 weeks then they are just more hassle than they are worth and thanks for telling me about the pans... I use a cast iron frying pan as well now. Is there much danger to humans as my wok lost alot of it's non stick coating after a while....i hope i never ate any.
@kingdarko Dupont - who manufacture teflon - claim it's harmless if used as directed (!), but that didn't stop them paying out millions of dollars in compensation to people who got sick living close to their factory. I suggest you google 'dangers of teflon' for a more comprehensive picture - and then make up your own mind.
Thats not "plain old metal". Woks are made with carbon steel which is why they take seasoning so well. non stick woks ARE NOT WOKS. They are bastardized western versions of what is probably the greatest cooking vessel ever.
@PepsiRawks I've no doubt many woks are made from carbon steel, as you say. However the two I own are made from mild steel, were bought in an Asian supermarket for next to nothing, and really are just plain old metal :0)
Thats something a cook in culinary school would say. You'll soon learn the greatness of having carbon steel pans to roast your meats in. Not saying theres any universal cooking medium but Woks are definatly the most thought out, well-designed-for-what-they-do piece of cookware you can get.
cost me £8.00 inU.K. saved a lot of money against a top of the range cook,s knife.and the results are spectacular.Even gained the wife,s approval,thanks for the advice
This is a very good explanation of what a chinese chefs knife is all about (because its not a cleaver, its a chinese chefs knife). Its very easy to hold and cut. And it comes razor sharp out of the box. Most german brand 100 euro knife are blunt out of the box. These chinese chefs knifes are cheap and razor sharp. I use them myself. You only have to sharpen them every few months thats all.
@Thecookingfreak Aldi have been selling asian styled cook's knives. I got a VG10 Soligen knife in the Nakiri style for about 20 euro. It's proved a great blade, but is a balanced so there is no blade weight in action, the handle is too long/heavy for speedy work using a forward grip. It's still the best for mincing onions despite the balance problem. I just need more practice with only one finger on the blade. There have also been other offerings with different handles.
By the time I made this video I'd had the knife for several years, so I had sharpened it myself on many occasions. However it was razor sharp when I first bought it. That's the way they come.
@cmalchik Like many chefs I have my knives professionally sharpened. These days that's about twice a year now that I'm retired. I highly recommend that's what you do as well. Then use a steel to keep the edge. See my video "How To Sharpen A Knife' for a safe way of doing that.
You'll get it sharper by doing it yourself at home, taking the time to choose the angle and really doing it.
As long as the steel is of good quality you can dare to go lower in the angles than the professional sharpeners will do. They do the job fast, removes more metal and they won't put the same spirit into it.
Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker or an Edge Pro, i prefer the Sharpmaker.
Personally, i use an Akifusa 24cm Gyoto in SRS-15 Powdered Steel. 20 total angle.
I've got a Kiwi knife that looks almost like that, but narrower. The Kiwi knives are the best, I have two of them, an 8-inch one that I use as a chef's knife and a fairly large cleaver.
my parents own a few asian resteraunts in here in canada and we use the zwilling henckels asian cleavers as well as the dexter and russel knives but not as much and starting to use the kyocera kyotop damascus ceramic knives
@Saltydog55252 That particular board was made of polypropylene, I think. It was three years ago now so it's long gone. Anyway, it was some kind of compound material.
Dexter Russel and Winco make an awesome high-carbon steel Asian Cleaver for about $25 US, i use one every day at work and it is much better quality than those Kiwi knives. Kiwi's are good for how cheap they are, but they are made of stainless steel and are made of inferior steel.
Asian Cleavers are my favorite All- around tool for the job, hands down.
@lourak Why make an adverse comment about something you have never used? I really do not understand this kind of negativity. Read the comments from people using this knife at my suggestion. ALL the comments are positive. Not one person who actually uses it has complained about the knife's ability to hold an edge. I sincerely hope that your life becomes a happier experience for you soon.
@lourak I think you have a valid point, It is not a criticism of the Chinese cleaver in general but the one used here that was bought for $8. I say that if it is such an all purpose tool would you not be better off paying good money for one? (correct me if I am wrong)
@hydrox24 Not wrong, sir just a different mind set and goal. If an $8 tool works exactly the way you want then why would you need to spend more for the tool?
@Thetruthishere11 These knives will cut anything (within reason!). So many of my friends are using them now and they all tell the same story - fantastic!
Thanks so much for your video. I purchased one of these knives (Kiwi #21) yesterday and have found it brilliant.
They are around $8 at the Chinese supermarkets. However in the Valley (Brisbane) there is a Chinese General store (ie non food items) which sells them for $3.99. Absolutely amazing price - almost free for an incredible knife.
If you go for a chinese cleaver, get a CCK brand.. I think it's a 3206 model... anyway, around $35 and good materials. That is the knife most chinese chefs use all day, every day. I have a high end japanese Kikuishi one as well. It performs a tad bit better... but it's $200. Get the CCK online. The other option is a santoku japanese blade. I like my knives from Moritaka Hamono (online). They are old school, handmade blades made by 3 family members. Around $150. Like using an razor blade.
I use a steel each time I use any knife. There is a video of how I use it in this series. Don't worry about your cutting board, unless it's glass. Not good for a number of reasons.
These are great knives, although I do prefur using one of my selection of chef knives, I just feel as though I have more controll when chopping at speed in the middle of service. But when It comes to a bit of relaxed prep these are great, as long as you dont choose a heavy one.
I agree. For speed pros will use a European knife in most cases, but of course my video is aimed at the home cooks who rarely have either the need or the skill to work at the same speed as a chef. For them, I believe this type of knife is much easier and safer to use.
i have 8inch cooks knife , surely a 10 buck knife will go dull very easy and be very hard to keep sharp, im guessing you carried out this demo with a brand new one,
none of the chefs on cooking programmes i watch on th bbc use this knife, why not?
You guessed wrong. I've had this knife for over 10 years, it keeps its edge and is very easy to maintain. As to what other chefs do on cooking programs - ask them. if you prefer to spend huge sums on knives that you probably cannot use properly, that's fine by me, but several thousand asian chefs can't be that wrong :0)
Nindes, BBC chefs are not the authority in knives. Many of those chefs use knives which they sponsored. In other words, they get pay to use certain tools. I bet you that an average Chinese chef can work through his food prep much faster than a French chef.
Let's just talk about Japanese. Do you know Japanese cutlery steels are much harder and stronger than German steels? Shun and Global have their knives around 60-61HRC hardness. Wusthof and Henckels on 56 HRC. Enough said.
Harder and stronger are opposites in terms of knives. Though if you want hardness, go with ceramic knives. On mohs scale hardened steel is only a 6.5. Zirconium Carbide is about 8. Diamond is 10.
m415mike, Not true. Hardness and strength are almost always on the same side, whereas "toughness" is often opposite of strength. For a given steel, there is often a tradeoff between steel strength and steel toughness. Ceramic has the hardness, but not tough at all. There are ceramic paring knives, but not Chef's knife because ceramic does not has the toughness to handle heavy duty jobs. Mohs scale is actually just a ranking scale not a measurement scale like HRC.
im using both wusthof classic ikon and global pro knives which i picked up in japan. yes global knives are a hell lot sharper but i still prefer the wusthof over the global in general food prep because i think their knives are very well balanced, heavy enough to chop through bone joints, crushing garlic and ginger etc. I mainly use the global in situation where precision is key like sashimi or decorating
I bought mine in a local Asian supermarket. I'm not sure you can buy them in the major stores but you can get them online. Just google 'kiwi brand knives'
I love these. It was my ONLY knife through university and when I go to make food at someone's house I bring this one and maybe a nice paring knife and I know I have all bases covered. I like expensive knives, but I am way too hard on my knives to be spending all that money.
No, it's not a santoku but every bit as good in my opinion. It's a Kiwi brand, made in Thailand, and they seem to be getting more popular. They are starting to show up in online stores, for example.
Thanks for posting the vid coolcook. I had no idea other people had discovered the "secret" of these knives. I bought mine at an asian market in Arizona for $5 and have been using the same Kiwi knife you demo in the video for the past 6 years. It rarely needs sharpening, and the edge has never folded. All my other knives are collecting dust on the magnetic strip.
It looks a bit like a santoku, doesn't it? But it's not. And the blade, if anything, is slightly thicker than my chef knives, which gives it the rigidity that helps to avoid surprise slips and blood stained onion rings :)
I live in Stanwell. Minnamurra is a great spot. Last time I was down there I speared some nice bream & drummer. Next time I head down, I will give the kayak fishing a go.
The knife this Aussie is using, is the large size, KIWI BRAND 12" pointed cleaver. They have regular blunt end, large & small size cleavers. as well as pointed end cleavers. The small blunt nakiri style knife, is my favorite vegetable knife! The KIWI paring knife is awesome! If you can't find them in your local Asian market, Google it. It should be The Wok Shop. These knives & Cleavers are awesome!
I have one in my home kitchen. Paid $5.00 for it at Leelee's Asian Market. And I use it every day for almost everything. It's light, durable, easy to clean, and stays pretty sharp; even when I chop through chicken wings. I won't chop Garlic & Onions with any other knife.
I almost always use asian cleavers for my cooking because I find that, with the shape of the blade, you can really bear down on meats and vegetables with control and precision. For big jobs, I find chef's knives to be a little exhausting to use.
I have read very contradicting statements. The author says thick blades mean better quality, but I've read multiple posts saying a thinner knife is safer, sharper and better to work with. Which is it?
boxsterwelby, thickness of the blade is nothing to do with quality. Thickness differs depends on the purpose of the knife. Vegetable knives are thinner, meat and fish knives are thicker. Also, those thick blades often beveled one side for right and left hand use.
Quality of the knife comes from the metal. Good knives have blade that are easy to sharpen and keep the sharpness longer between sharpening.
Really? That's a bit of a sweeping statement isn't it? I've used mine daily for over 10 years and so far it's kept the same edge it had the day I bought it. How soon can I expect it to start to bend?
Look, it's how you care for the blade that counts. These knives are terrific value at the price and they are very easy for the casual cook to use. Don't be put off by negative comments from people who apparently don't know how to look after them.
I agree with you 100% thecoolcook. How you care for your blade is essential. I am a French trained chef but use Asian style knives every day because in my opinion are a lot better. I'll admit I use Shun, Global, and Kyocera but the principals are the same. Great video and great advise. Keep it up!
Great brand. That's the one I got. Didn't even realize what I was buying until I found myself neglecting most of my other knives in favor of this one.
I made the mistake of getting a meat cleaver instead of a chinese chef's knife, since that was what i always saw my parents use. Unfortunately, i did not realize that there was a difference between a chinese chef's knife and a meat cleaver (which i think is too heavy); i have corrected that mistake already.
That's something I think a few people have done. Meat cleavers - as you now know - have a much heavier blade and do not take a very sharp edge. If in doubt, guys, ask :)
It's a Kiwi brand, but there are plenty of others. The thing I like about the Kiwi range is that they are not so thin bladed as many Asian cheaper knives, which makes them more versatile.
thanks for sharing. I generally prefer the larger cleaver. If you do not mind the extra care, try the carbon steel variety. they are like huge razors. Personally I dont like kershaw product, so i wont never try a shun
An 8 buck knife will never hold much of an edge. but the shape is perfect for a wide range of uses. Plus when it goes dull, bin it a get another one. Nice.
take care man...your thumb will damage the knife and you will cut your fingers by holding to close to the blade...
ive never used kiwi brand knives...r they good?...i use shun..they last long and have a thin blade but if you know how to maintain knives they own...but they are a killer....PRICEWISE hehehe =D ...thats a nice cleaver...for how much you paid..gotta love asian prices
I', a chef. I have yet to cut myself by holding a knife this way, which is how most professionals will do it for the reasons given. It is the correct and best way to avoid cutting the 'lazy' hand and gives great control.
The knife cost $8 Australian, as stated in the video.
Good information here. I picked one up a few years ago and use it for nearly everything now. The only problem is that they are, pretty thin (which people often confuse with cheap). If my girlfriend gets ahold of it, she practically cuts food like one would chop a wooden log. Since the blade is thin the edge tends to fold over. Thankfully Ive been sharpening knives since I was 6, but considering the cost you could just buy more if this were to occur.
After reading the comments more I suppose I should clarify. By the knife needing to be sharpened, I mean pull out your stones and leather. These knives come extremely sharp, and sharp blade + thin blade = amazing slicer, but easily damaged in the hands of someone who doesnt know any better. At that point it can become a danger. It doesnt take much for these knives to fold too much for your butcher steel to do any good. Just something to be aware of.
It probably depends on what you buy, they're not all the same. Certainly I would never buy a thin blade and I have used this in a professional kitchen where tough jobs go with the territory. So my advice would be, rather than worry about the blade folding over, make sure you buy a blade that is suitable for the job. There is a very easy test; hold the knife as shown in the video and press the flat side of the tip against a hard surface. If it flexes, it is not suitable for use in the kitchen.
i used a cleaver before, believe me, the first few days, its fairly sharp. but after a while, it gets dull, and VERY dangerous. I cut myself quite a few times, because the cleaver is Too heavy to control, and when i press hard, the knife slips and cuts into my hand. I prefer the longer blade but smaller. They are certainly more agile and safer.
Any blade becomes dangerous if you allow it to lose its edge. See my video on how to sharpen a knife, the same thing applies to the cleaver. It's not the fault of the blade that it becomes dull, but the user who fails to take care of it.
As for being too heavy, they come in all weights. Mine is lighter than an equivalent kitchen knife of similar size, and in any case control is about how you hold the blade, not how heavy it is.
I have a feeling the 'cleaver' you are talking about is very different to the one I use and recommend. If it's heavy with a thick blade it sounds like a meat cleaver, and that's not what I'm talking about at all.
Yup! Got it. That's a meat cleaver and you would find it heavy and difficult to use for general kitchen work. Take another look at my video - you'll see the blade I'm using is quite small and is also the same width as a conventional knife. It's much closer to the more expensive santoku knives, but with a wider blade. Get one of those instead. I promise you it will change your mind about this type of kitchen implement.
there several different types of cleavers...there are meat/duck slicers, japanese style vegetable cleavers, chinese chef knives, and meat/bone chopping cleavers. What you wanna get is a chinese chef knife that is be anywhere from 6"-10" inches blade length, but are very thin. Thinner and much sharper than a western style chefs knife. The larger blade actually makes it safer and easier to control than a western knife...it also doesn't have a sharp tip that can stab someone
I could never understand why people would go out and buy a $200 or $300 knife. I just use a medium sized asian cleaver and maybe a smaller paring knife for jobs where the weight of the cleaver would get in the way.
You don't even have to really sharpen it, it get s too dull? go out and shell out 5-7 bucks for a new one.
How true! I remember watching this episode of a show called "Made To Order" where this chef goes to Hong Kong to learn dim-sum... He brought all his Western-style chef knives with him, but was completely owned by the Chinese dim sum chef who used the cleaver to do everything! After struggling with choosing a proper knife from his entire selection to do what the dim sum chefs were doing, and taking forever to do prep whichever knife he chose, the next scene had him shopping for a cleaver. LOL
The truth is I had a similar experience. I trained with a full set of conventional knives and used them for years. Then I worked with a Chinese chef who had just one small knife plus a cleaver. Within days I went out and bought one and I've never looked back
I remember when I started volunteering at a kitchen and all I wanted was the small knife, then I tried using the bigger ones and it was MUCH easier, and like you said, felt safer. It's a good video, teaches someone who doesn't know how to dice an onion, while informing them that the cleaver you used was one of the best to use as a general purpose knife, which I liked.
You can buy a knife of this type from most Asian supermarkets and even the little corner shops often sell them. Mine came from a Vietnamese shop we have locally.
thats a large nakiri mate, chill out.......have a fosters
LUK3SYboy 4 months ago
@LUK3SYboy It's not really. It's a similar style but nakiris are Japanese and differ in their construction and blade shape. The difference is fairly subtle but it's still there. The knife shown is Thai, as I think I've mentioned before. And I hate Fosters, it's not a very popular beer in NSW :0)
thecoolcook 4 months ago
@thecoolcook i didnt even know aus had fosters-_- its like cat piss, little creatures bright ale is the best.
and cool knife, your rite
LUK3SYboy 4 months ago
@LUK3SYboy Fosters is an Aussie beer, it was first brewed here but not many of us drink it. It's mainly an export brew now. Never heard of the ale you mention. Probably can't get it here
thecoolcook 4 months ago
@thecoolcook haha im from wa, and i think little creatures is from QLD... and im assuming fosters is a bit like emu bitter. but yeah ur right about the knife and nice vid bro
LUK3SYboy 4 months ago
I have a cleaver and is really heavy... Personally I stick for most of the kitchens my 8" victorinox or my Henckel, they are very light weight and I mostly do everything with them
isaacvs1 6 months ago
Thanks for a simple insight about this tool( I'm not expert or game enough to call it anything else what with all the replies your video generated) I wiil go to China town and see if I can locate something similar and give it a try. all the best
labrat7357 7 months ago
First off this is not an "asian" knife. That is a vegtable style cleaver developed in China. It is the equvilent of your european style French/chef knife. If your looking for the best possible knife style for chopping an onion, head of lettuce, or any other firm vegtables, Santoku knifes are the best choice and are a Japanese infused chef knife using both propperties as from this knife and a french knife. by far, the best and most used tool out of the 3.
pmh777 9 months ago
@pmh777 I disagree with most of this. These are called knives and the style is to be found all over Asia except in China, where a thinner, more rectangular blade is used. The knife in question comes from Thailand.Santoku knives are certainly good, but they are expensive and no better at the job than the one shown. I own both as well as a whole range of European blades. For ease of use, quality and economy, these Kiwi knives are hard to beat. See what other chefs have said below
thecoolcook 9 months ago 2
I use a Ken Onion Santoku at home its amazing for everything, but at work i use this a nakiri and a slightly smaller version of the knife shown and i swear by them, kiwi and kom kom make amazing knives for under ten dollars. i'm a knife geek as is my coworker, and we always argue over whos knives are better, and the fact is that these cheap knives hands down cut better and longer than any of his 150 - 350 dollar knives. so go to your local asian market and drop ten dollars and spread the news
chardful 10 months ago
@chardful Spot on, mate. Well said :0)
thecoolcook 10 months ago
good techique
wbrowne 10 months ago
just saying - this could be done with a nakiri, gyuto or a chef's knife just as well. you just need the technique... plus - the chef\gyuto\nakiri can do things the cleaver won't, but the cleaver is more limited. in general, I prefer a nakiri for vegi prep.
monss84 11 months ago
@monss84 The point is these knives are very cheap, long-lasting, sharp, hold an edge and are perfect for the novice cook because they are easy to use. You can use one for most things, once you get used to it. About the only other thing you need is a paring knife.
thecoolcook 11 months ago
If i'm dicing something like a chilli, i prefer a long knife with a point. i can push the point end down on the chopping board with one hand, and use a lever motion to rapidly and accurately chop the chilli. i would like an asian style knife like this for cutting meat though, so thanks for the advice on where to buy and save money.
andiar 11 months ago
I have a CCK small slicer and I love love love love it. Its fabulous for precision cuts; I never use my german profiled knife anymore. Unfortunately I bought it online and not in chinatown so it was $30 as opposed to $10. But that is still amazing.
WarriorsEmbrace 1 year ago
cutco
arm625 1 year ago
same goes for a lot of the stuff in Asian markets.
I finally said no more to my old wok which was a pretty expensive non stick wok that had just lost it's coating and burnt at the bottom and took ages to cook on which is the opposite of what a wok should be.
£6.99 for an amazing wok that i seasoned and cooked eggs in without it sticking......cooking bliss :D
kingdarko 1 year ago
@kingdarko Plus you can use metal implements in it without worry. I agree. In any case, there is a huge question mark over the safety of PFCs, which are used in the manufacture of non-stick surfaces. Did you know the fumes given off them kill birds? And that the manufacturers know this? Give me plain old metal any day!
thecoolcook 1 year ago
@thecoolcook Really ? wow i did not know that but i am not using any non stick pans anymore because they are useless after a year. They are the bees knees for about 2 weeks then they are just more hassle than they are worth and thanks for telling me about the pans... I use a cast iron frying pan as well now. Is there much danger to humans as my wok lost alot of it's non stick coating after a while....i hope i never ate any.
kingdarko 1 year ago
@kingdarko Dupont - who manufacture teflon - claim it's harmless if used as directed (!), but that didn't stop them paying out millions of dollars in compensation to people who got sick living close to their factory. I suggest you google 'dangers of teflon' for a more comprehensive picture - and then make up your own mind.
thecoolcook 1 year ago
@thecoolcook
Thats not "plain old metal". Woks are made with carbon steel which is why they take seasoning so well. non stick woks ARE NOT WOKS. They are bastardized western versions of what is probably the greatest cooking vessel ever.
PepsiRawks 10 months ago
@PepsiRawks I've no doubt many woks are made from carbon steel, as you say. However the two I own are made from mild steel, were bought in an Asian supermarket for next to nothing, and really are just plain old metal :0)
thecoolcook 10 months ago
@PepsiRawks Lets not get too crazy about woks buddy because I'd take stock pot or even dutch oven a wok any day.
CollegeChef1 10 months ago
@CollegeChef1
Thats something a cook in culinary school would say. You'll soon learn the greatness of having carbon steel pans to roast your meats in. Not saying theres any universal cooking medium but Woks are definatly the most thought out, well-designed-for-what-they-do piece of cookware you can get.
PepsiRawks 10 months ago
cost me £8.00 inU.K. saved a lot of money against a top of the range cook,s knife.and the results are spectacular.Even gained the wife,s approval,thanks for the advice
les
13ynysybwl 1 year ago
This is a very good explanation of what a chinese chefs knife is all about (because its not a cleaver, its a chinese chefs knife). Its very easy to hold and cut. And it comes razor sharp out of the box. Most german brand 100 euro knife are blunt out of the box. These chinese chefs knifes are cheap and razor sharp. I use them myself. You only have to sharpen them every few months thats all.
Thecookingfreak 1 year ago
@Thecookingfreak Aldi have been selling asian styled cook's knives. I got a VG10 Soligen knife in the Nakiri style for about 20 euro. It's proved a great blade, but is a balanced so there is no blade weight in action, the handle is too long/heavy for speedy work using a forward grip. It's still the best for mincing onions despite the balance problem. I just need more practice with only one finger on the blade. There have also been other offerings with different handles.
TheBeebopper 7 months ago
hallo I am interesting about the size of this blade how long and wide is it. Thank you
111violist 1 year ago
@111violist The blade is 18cms by 6cms with an overall length of 30 cms (1 foot for the metrically challenged) :0)
thecoolcook 1 year ago
By the time I made this video I'd had the knife for several years, so I had sharpened it myself on many occasions. However it was razor sharp when I first bought it. That's the way they come.
thecoolcook 1 year ago
Did this come this sharp or did you have to get it sharpened?
imanoobybitch 1 year ago
martin yan does like to emphasise how these kitchen knifes are superior to your average kitchen knifes.
yoimosan 1 year ago
What do you use to sharpen it?
cmalchik 1 year ago
@cmalchik Like many chefs I have my knives professionally sharpened. These days that's about twice a year now that I'm retired. I highly recommend that's what you do as well. Then use a steel to keep the edge. See my video "How To Sharpen A Knife' for a safe way of doing that.
thecoolcook 1 year ago
@thecoolcook That's probably a good option but I recently bought a few bench stones, lol. I've been happy with the results.
P.S. steeling ≠ sharpening
cmalchik 1 year ago
@thecoolcook
You'll get it sharper by doing it yourself at home, taking the time to choose the angle and really doing it.
As long as the steel is of good quality you can dare to go lower in the angles than the professional sharpeners will do. They do the job fast, removes more metal and they won't put the same spirit into it.
Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker or an Edge Pro, i prefer the Sharpmaker.
Personally, i use an Akifusa 24cm Gyoto in SRS-15 Powdered Steel. 20 total angle.
511V325731N 1 year ago
I've got a Kiwi knife that looks almost like that, but narrower. The Kiwi knives are the best, I have two of them, an 8-inch one that I use as a chef's knife and a fairly large cleaver.
yerk3 1 year ago
my parents own a few asian resteraunts in here in canada and we use the zwilling henckels asian cleavers as well as the dexter and russel knives but not as much and starting to use the kyocera kyotop damascus ceramic knives
victorlam60188 1 year ago
nice vid... have been using these since I had memory as I came from an Asian household ;)
damaka 1 year ago
what are you chopping on dude????
Saltydog55252 1 year ago
@Saltydog55252 It's a color-coded chopping board. It only gets used for vegetables.
thecoolcook 1 year ago
@thecoolcook what is it made of?
Saltydog55252 1 year ago
@Saltydog55252 That particular board was made of polypropylene, I think. It was three years ago now so it's long gone. Anyway, it was some kind of compound material.
thecoolcook 1 year ago
Dexter Russel and Winco make an awesome high-carbon steel Asian Cleaver for about $25 US, i use one every day at work and it is much better quality than those Kiwi knives. Kiwi's are good for how cheap they are, but they are made of stainless steel and are made of inferior steel.
Asian Cleavers are my favorite All- around tool for the job, hands down.
ghostdeini13 1 year ago
i've used this. you don't have to sharpen it after every use. it'll cut through a lot.
crazyphilly555 1 year ago
Eight dollars? - You'll be sharpening it after every cut.
lourak 1 year ago
@lourak Why make an adverse comment about something you have never used? I really do not understand this kind of negativity. Read the comments from people using this knife at my suggestion. ALL the comments are positive. Not one person who actually uses it has complained about the knife's ability to hold an edge. I sincerely hope that your life becomes a happier experience for you soon.
thecoolcook 1 year ago 20
@lourak I think you have a valid point, It is not a criticism of the Chinese cleaver in general but the one used here that was bought for $8. I say that if it is such an all purpose tool would you not be better off paying good money for one? (correct me if I am wrong)
hydrox24 1 year ago
@hydrox24 Not wrong, sir just a different mind set and goal. If an $8 tool works exactly the way you want then why would you need to spend more for the tool?
monet108 1 year ago
cheap steal. can you cut tomatoes?
Thetruthishere11 1 year ago
@Thetruthishere11 These knives will cut anything (within reason!). So many of my friends are using them now and they all tell the same story - fantastic!
thecoolcook 1 year ago
Thanks so much for your video. I purchased one of these knives (Kiwi #21) yesterday and have found it brilliant.
They are around $8 at the Chinese supermarkets. However in the Valley (Brisbane) there is a Chinese General store (ie non food items) which sells them for $3.99. Absolutely amazing price - almost free for an incredible knife.
Cheers - Gordon
333nodrog 1 year ago
@333nodrog That's an amazing price all right. Makes you wonder what the manufacturing cost is.
thecoolcook 1 year ago
Low priced knife doesn't mean it's cheaply made.
I'd rather have good quality low priced knife then spend the money on good sharpening stone to keep it sharp.
Get a good Japanese water stone for about $25 to$30.- medium grit 1000.
I have used oil stone, diamond stone but they don't compare to water stones.
allgoo19 1 year ago
If you go for a chinese cleaver, get a CCK brand.. I think it's a 3206 model... anyway, around $35 and good materials. That is the knife most chinese chefs use all day, every day. I have a high end japanese Kikuishi one as well. It performs a tad bit better... but it's $200. Get the CCK online. The other option is a santoku japanese blade. I like my knives from Moritaka Hamono (online). They are old school, handmade blades made by 3 family members. Around $150. Like using an razor blade.
laughingtiger123 2 years ago
Kiwi Knife. I have this knife and it is my favorite next to my misono ux10>>>>
renthal971 2 years ago
I think u just found the equivalent to the HUGE t.v. remote for old people...HAHAHAHA nice
G0neguy 2 years ago
Got one in China . . . they're great
KiranStevens 2 years ago
I also have a couple kiwi knives that I swear by, but I think they're suffering from my cheap cutting board. How often do you hone/sharpen yours?
nyumetsu 2 years ago
I use a steel each time I use any knife. There is a video of how I use it in this series. Don't worry about your cutting board, unless it's glass. Not good for a number of reasons.
thecoolcook 2 years ago
i also have a coupe kiwi knifes. not bad at all for 2 bucks.
yeahyeah333y 2 years ago
This is true. Well they are safe as long as they are kept sharp, as less pressure is needed to cut.
RoyalMarine42 2 years ago
Very good point! It's blunt knives that cut you, folks!
thecoolcook 2 years ago
These are great knives, although I do prefur using one of my selection of chef knives, I just feel as though I have more controll when chopping at speed in the middle of service. But when It comes to a bit of relaxed prep these are great, as long as you dont choose a heavy one.
RoyalMarine42 2 years ago
I agree. For speed pros will use a European knife in most cases, but of course my video is aimed at the home cooks who rarely have either the need or the skill to work at the same speed as a chef. For them, I believe this type of knife is much easier and safer to use.
thecoolcook 2 years ago
i have 8inch cooks knife , surely a 10 buck knife will go dull very easy and be very hard to keep sharp, im guessing you carried out this demo with a brand new one,
none of the chefs on cooking programmes i watch on th bbc use this knife, why not?
nindes 2 years ago
You guessed wrong. I've had this knife for over 10 years, it keeps its edge and is very easy to maintain. As to what other chefs do on cooking programs - ask them. if you prefer to spend huge sums on knives that you probably cannot use properly, that's fine by me, but several thousand asian chefs can't be that wrong :0)
sellingwebsites 2 years ago
Nindes, BBC chefs are not the authority in knives. Many of those chefs use knives which they sponsored. In other words, they get pay to use certain tools. I bet you that an average Chinese chef can work through his food prep much faster than a French chef.
Let's just talk about Japanese. Do you know Japanese cutlery steels are much harder and stronger than German steels? Shun and Global have their knives around 60-61HRC hardness. Wusthof and Henckels on 56 HRC. Enough said.
Chemicalkinetics 2 years ago
Harder and stronger are opposites in terms of knives. Though if you want hardness, go with ceramic knives. On mohs scale hardened steel is only a 6.5. Zirconium Carbide is about 8. Diamond is 10.
m415mike 2 years ago
m415mike, Not true. Hardness and strength are almost always on the same side, whereas "toughness" is often opposite of strength. For a given steel, there is often a tradeoff between steel strength and steel toughness. Ceramic has the hardness, but not tough at all. There are ceramic paring knives, but not Chef's knife because ceramic does not has the toughness to handle heavy duty jobs. Mohs scale is actually just a ranking scale not a measurement scale like HRC.
Chemicalkinetics 2 years ago
m415mike
In short, a harder knife is a stronger knife. It is not opposite.
Chemicalkinetics 2 years ago
@m415mike Yeah....but don't drop them....or cut bone....any bone.
Za7a7aZ 2 years ago
im using both wusthof classic ikon and global pro knives which i picked up in japan. yes global knives are a hell lot sharper but i still prefer the wusthof over the global in general food prep because i think their knives are very well balanced, heavy enough to chop through bone joints, crushing garlic and ginger etc. I mainly use the global in situation where precision is key like sashimi or decorating
peanutking242 1 year ago
what store did u buy that knife from?
tamaman08 2 years ago
I bought mine in a local Asian supermarket. I'm not sure you can buy them in the major stores but you can get them online. Just google 'kiwi brand knives'
thecoolcook 2 years ago
I love these. It was my ONLY knife through university and when I go to make food at someone's house I bring this one and maybe a nice paring knife and I know I have all bases covered. I like expensive knives, but I am way too hard on my knives to be spending all that money.
Jaysohn008 2 years ago
nice clean cut kinfe what's the name of this cleaver it look similar of the santoku but it"s not?
tatawar 2 years ago
No, it's not a santoku but every bit as good in my opinion. It's a Kiwi brand, made in Thailand, and they seem to be getting more popular. They are starting to show up in online stores, for example.
thecoolcook 2 years ago
@tatawar its basically a nakiri which is an asian vegetable cleaver... they are becoming very popular out here
jessemcnevin 2 years ago
Thanks for posting the vid coolcook. I had no idea other people had discovered the "secret" of these knives. I bought mine at an asian market in Arizona for $5 and have been using the same Kiwi knife you demo in the video for the past 6 years. It rarely needs sharpening, and the edge has never folded. All my other knives are collecting dust on the magnetic strip.
YogiCain 2 years ago
They're great aren't they? Thanks for taking the trouble to comment.
thecoolcook 2 years ago
$5-10 light cleavers are the chef's secret.
rocket881 2 years ago
I have the same knife I use at work lol. Made in Thailand. I agree these knives are great for the price.
elrollo79 2 years ago
It looks a bit like a santoku, doesn't it? But it's not. And the blade, if anything, is slightly thicker than my chef knives, which gives it the rigidity that helps to avoid surprise slips and blood stained onion rings :)
thecoolcook 2 years ago
OOps, sorry. I seem to have hit the 'remove' button by mistake.
thecoolcook 2 years ago
Thanks for the vid Mic. I just got a Kiwi cleaver from a Asian supermarket in Wollongong. Paid $6:50.
Bargain.
walker2508 2 years ago
Excellent! Good onya, mate. Wollongong? We're practically neighbours. Minnamurra.
thecoolcook 2 years ago
I live in Stanwell. Minnamurra is a great spot. Last time I was down there I speared some nice bream & drummer. Next time I head down, I will give the kayak fishing a go.
walker2508 2 years ago
The knife this Aussie is using, is the large size, KIWI BRAND 12" pointed cleaver. They have regular blunt end, large & small size cleavers. as well as pointed end cleavers. The small blunt nakiri style knife, is my favorite vegetable knife! The KIWI paring knife is awesome! If you can't find them in your local Asian market, Google it. It should be The Wok Shop. These knives & Cleavers are awesome!
JonNicc 2 years ago
This is why Chinese people need only one knife. They use it for everything
TheSenseofTouch 3 years ago 27
@TheSenseofTouch being chinese and a chef myself, thats hella true.
ace999415 1 year ago
most chefs stumble through the onion test---you are the man and i hope food network discovers a dousche of your caliber
teabaggervance8 3 years ago 5
I have one in my home kitchen. Paid $5.00 for it at Leelee's Asian Market. And I use it every day for almost everything. It's light, durable, easy to clean, and stays pretty sharp; even when I chop through chicken wings. I won't chop Garlic & Onions with any other knife.
mathewpaguio 3 years ago
I almost always use asian cleavers for my cooking because I find that, with the shape of the blade, you can really bear down on meats and vegetables with control and precision. For big jobs, I find chef's knives to be a little exhausting to use.
waverleylaurier 3 years ago
I have read very contradicting statements. The author says thick blades mean better quality, but I've read multiple posts saying a thinner knife is safer, sharper and better to work with. Which is it?
boxsterwelby 3 years ago
boxsterwelby, thickness of the blade is nothing to do with quality. Thickness differs depends on the purpose of the knife. Vegetable knives are thinner, meat and fish knives are thicker. Also, those thick blades often beveled one side for right and left hand use.
Quality of the knife comes from the metal. Good knives have blade that are easy to sharpen and keep the sharpness longer between sharpening.
allgoo19 3 years ago
these knives arnt that good once u use them the sharp edge starts to bend upward
samsSharpiesniffer 3 years ago
Really? That's a bit of a sweeping statement isn't it? I've used mine daily for over 10 years and so far it's kept the same edge it had the day I bought it. How soon can I expect it to start to bend?
Look, it's how you care for the blade that counts. These knives are terrific value at the price and they are very easy for the casual cook to use. Don't be put off by negative comments from people who apparently don't know how to look after them.
thecoolcook 3 years ago
I agree with you 100% thecoolcook. How you care for your blade is essential. I am a French trained chef but use Asian style knives every day because in my opinion are a lot better. I'll admit I use Shun, Global, and Kyocera but the principals are the same. Great video and great advise. Keep it up!
chefparker74 3 years ago
Thank you Chef. I really do appreciate the feedback and the positive comments.
thecoolcook 3 years ago
Excellent video. I have bought 2 of them online for $4.99 each plus $8.00 shipping. Kiwi brand made in Thailand. Thanks.
wreckanchor 3 years ago
Great, and I'm glad you were able to get them for such a good price.
thecoolcook 3 years ago
What website?
skahl000 3 years ago
Great brand. That's the one I got. Didn't even realize what I was buying until I found myself neglecting most of my other knives in favor of this one.
mathewpaguio 3 years ago
I made the mistake of getting a meat cleaver instead of a chinese chef's knife, since that was what i always saw my parents use. Unfortunately, i did not realize that there was a difference between a chinese chef's knife and a meat cleaver (which i think is too heavy); i have corrected that mistake already.
stephenkywong 3 years ago
That's something I think a few people have done. Meat cleavers - as you now know - have a much heavier blade and do not take a very sharp edge. If in doubt, guys, ask :)
thecoolcook 3 years ago
what brand of knife is that?
Peruvian07Prince 3 years ago
It's a Kiwi brand, but there are plenty of others. The thing I like about the Kiwi range is that they are not so thin bladed as many Asian cheaper knives, which makes them more versatile.
thecoolcook 3 years ago
thanks for sharing. I generally prefer the larger cleaver. If you do not mind the extra care, try the carbon steel variety. they are like huge razors. Personally I dont like kershaw product, so i wont never try a shun
Nigarahamono 3 years ago
An 8 buck knife will never hold much of an edge. but the shape is perfect for a wide range of uses. Plus when it goes dull, bin it a get another one. Nice.
brocklambeth 3 years ago
take care man...your thumb will damage the knife and you will cut your fingers by holding to close to the blade...
ive never used kiwi brand knives...r they good?...i use shun..they last long and have a thin blade but if you know how to maintain knives they own...but they are a killer....PRICEWISE hehehe =D ...thats a nice cleaver...for how much you paid..gotta love asian prices
benkukulj 4 years ago
I', a chef. I have yet to cut myself by holding a knife this way, which is how most professionals will do it for the reasons given. It is the correct and best way to avoid cutting the 'lazy' hand and gives great control.
The knife cost $8 Australian, as stated in the video.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
Kiwi brand knife$
xo8ti8 4 years ago
That's right. There are others, but Kiwi is my favourite.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
I coudn't agree more with the video. Got mine for about 7 or 8 dollars at the asian market and I use it for everything.
jamf4s 4 years ago
Good information here. I picked one up a few years ago and use it for nearly everything now. The only problem is that they are, pretty thin (which people often confuse with cheap). If my girlfriend gets ahold of it, she practically cuts food like one would chop a wooden log. Since the blade is thin the edge tends to fold over. Thankfully Ive been sharpening knives since I was 6, but considering the cost you could just buy more if this were to occur.
freboi 4 years ago
After reading the comments more I suppose I should clarify. By the knife needing to be sharpened, I mean pull out your stones and leather. These knives come extremely sharp, and sharp blade + thin blade = amazing slicer, but easily damaged in the hands of someone who doesnt know any better. At that point it can become a danger. It doesnt take much for these knives to fold too much for your butcher steel to do any good. Just something to be aware of.
freboi 4 years ago
It probably depends on what you buy, they're not all the same. Certainly I would never buy a thin blade and I have used this in a professional kitchen where tough jobs go with the territory. So my advice would be, rather than worry about the blade folding over, make sure you buy a blade that is suitable for the job. There is a very easy test; hold the knife as shown in the video and press the flat side of the tip against a hard surface. If it flexes, it is not suitable for use in the kitchen.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
i used a cleaver before, believe me, the first few days, its fairly sharp. but after a while, it gets dull, and VERY dangerous. I cut myself quite a few times, because the cleaver is Too heavy to control, and when i press hard, the knife slips and cuts into my hand. I prefer the longer blade but smaller. They are certainly more agile and safer.
beliserius 4 years ago
Any blade becomes dangerous if you allow it to lose its edge. See my video on how to sharpen a knife, the same thing applies to the cleaver. It's not the fault of the blade that it becomes dull, but the user who fails to take care of it.
As for being too heavy, they come in all weights. Mine is lighter than an equivalent kitchen knife of similar size, and in any case control is about how you hold the blade, not how heavy it is.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
well it kind of does.
the blade i had was probably low grade steel. it for 1 rusted after 2 years.
also, i very dislike the sheer weight of the cleaver. it is simply only good for chopping for me. not too good for fine cuts
beliserius 4 years ago
I have a feeling the 'cleaver' you are talking about is very different to the one I use and recommend. If it's heavy with a thick blade it sounds like a meat cleaver, and that's not what I'm talking about at all.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
the 1 i am speaking of is a big rectangular large flat blade(not curved) with a wooden handle.
beliserius 4 years ago
Yup! Got it. That's a meat cleaver and you would find it heavy and difficult to use for general kitchen work. Take another look at my video - you'll see the blade I'm using is quite small and is also the same width as a conventional knife. It's much closer to the more expensive santoku knives, but with a wider blade. Get one of those instead. I promise you it will change your mind about this type of kitchen implement.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
there several different types of cleavers...there are meat/duck slicers, japanese style vegetable cleavers, chinese chef knives, and meat/bone chopping cleavers. What you wanna get is a chinese chef knife that is be anywhere from 6"-10" inches blade length, but are very thin. Thinner and much sharper than a western style chefs knife. The larger blade actually makes it safer and easier to control than a western knife...it also doesn't have a sharp tip that can stab someone
TonysMusicRoom 3 years ago
I could never understand why people would go out and buy a $200 or $300 knife. I just use a medium sized asian cleaver and maybe a smaller paring knife for jobs where the weight of the cleaver would get in the way.
You don't even have to really sharpen it, it get s too dull? go out and shell out 5-7 bucks for a new one.
gimplar 4 years ago
How true! I remember watching this episode of a show called "Made To Order" where this chef goes to Hong Kong to learn dim-sum... He brought all his Western-style chef knives with him, but was completely owned by the Chinese dim sum chef who used the cleaver to do everything! After struggling with choosing a proper knife from his entire selection to do what the dim sum chefs were doing, and taking forever to do prep whichever knife he chose, the next scene had him shopping for a cleaver. LOL
ychengwei 4 years ago
The truth is I had a similar experience. I trained with a full set of conventional knives and used them for years. Then I worked with a Chinese chef who had just one small knife plus a cleaver. Within days I went out and bought one and I've never looked back
thecoolcook 4 years ago
yep your right, it changed my life in the kitchen, and i am getting faster by the day
lugwug 4 years ago
Great. I'm very happy it's working for you.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
Totally agree. i find that bigger blades are easier to use and also it feels safer aswell.
Regnorok 4 years ago
I remember when I started volunteering at a kitchen and all I wanted was the small knife, then I tried using the bigger ones and it was MUCH easier, and like you said, felt safer. It's a good video, teaches someone who doesn't know how to dice an onion, while informing them that the cleaver you used was one of the best to use as a general purpose knife, which I liked.
Zabuzamomo 4 years ago
where can i get it
lanroshkpu 4 years ago
You can buy a knife of this type from most Asian supermarkets and even the little corner shops often sell them. Mine came from a Vietnamese shop we have locally.
thecoolcook 4 years ago
Great Thank You
lanroshkpu 4 years ago
true
ELWEFGVB 4 years ago